Muscat: A new species of lobster has been registered in Oman for the first time, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

The Japanese Blunthorn’s scientific name is Palinustus waguensis. A statement by the ministry read, “The lobster was found by an Omani fisherman with a fishing cage at the depth of 70-85 metres. It is a Palinustus of the form Pallinustus Waguensis, according to Kubo, 1963, and is commonly known as a Japanese Blunthorn. The lobster lives at the bottom of rocky seas or reefs, and normally lives between 100-200 metres below the sea.

“Its total length is between 11.5 and 14 cm and weighs between 48-109 grams.

“The lobster can be found in the Western Indian Ocean, the regional waters between Japan, China, and Taiwan, and makes limited appearances in some of India’s coastal regions,” the statement added.

According to the Marine Species Identification Portal (MISP), which was started with help form the UNESCO, the lobster is “Reported from rather shallow water in Japan, where it sometimes is caught in lobster trap nets.”

The uses of the lobster are limited.

MSIP added, “In Japan there is no commercial fishery for this relatively rare species, but fishermen obtaining specimens in their lobster nets (which in Japan can only be legally used from October to April), often give or sell these specimens to the public aquaria on the Japanese east coast.”